Chapter 24 - Clara
Waking up, I felt my head pounding. My body ached, and I wasn’t sure what was happening. I blinked a couple of times before fully opening my eyes. The light wasn’t that bright, but it still hurt.
A man grabbed my arm as he leaned in, huffing at me. “So, the princess awakens.”
I glared up at him, and his breath smelled like rotten fish. Pulling back, I swallowed hard. He plucked me forward, and I stumbled to my feet, struggling to find the ground properly. As I started falling to one side, his grip tightened.
“You’re hurting me,” I yelled at him.
He laughed. It was a horrid sound, like a donkey choking on something. Another man suddenly appeared at my other side. He took my other arm and steadied me. The first guy loosened his grip slightly, which was a relief.
I could feel he was preventing the blood flow to my arm as it started pumping and burning. But now, with the assistance of the other one, it felt better. They dragged me from the van towards two large steel doors.
We were in an alley, but I could see the building quite well. It was a warehouse of sorts, and I was sure it was on the other side of town. Once we passed through the doors, they pulled me down a central aisle. There were shelves with boxes stacked to the roof on both sides.
We went through a much smaller room before entering another, bigger one. The small room had no windows and was very dark. But the next one was brighter again. They pulled me down a hallway and through some rows of shelves.
It seemed they were walking me through some kind of maze. Once we went through another set of doors and down more aisles, they placed me on a chair. The second man knelt down behind the chair, loosened my hands, and tied them again to the chair.
Feeling the bounds, I almost laughed. They were so loose that a child could free themselves from them. I glided my fingers across the rope to the knot. Wiggling my finger, I managed to force it into the knot. I watched the men carefully as I started working on it.
I smiled at myself as they moved in opposite directions. One entered a room to the side, and the other disappeared behind some shelves filled with crates. I felt the first knot give way and knew I was almost free.
If they just stayed away long enough, I could get myself free and escape. Feeling the rope fall to the floor, I smiled. Now, all I had to do was wait until no one was around. Then, I could make a run for it. I glanced around the room.
Except for the door they brought me through, I could see two more. One surely led outside, as there was a window next to it, and I could see the skyline. I wasn’t sure of the other one. The warehouse looked quite big from the outside. I had no idea if there were other exits.
I heard voices and sat quietly in the chair with my hands behind my back.
I hoped they wouldn’t notice the rope on the floor.
I saw two guards coming out of what looked like a hallway.
The one that the kidnapper went into. They stood there for a bit, talking.
Now and then, they would glance at me, but they didn’t come closer.
Two more guards joined them. After a bit, the first two headed towards the door, which I was sure also led outside. I was right, as they opened the door and stepped out, the sun shone in. That was my way out. Now I just had to get rid of the two watching me.
“Excuse me,” I called out. I made sure my voice sounded weak and dry. They stared at me but didn’t speak. “Could I get some water, please?” I added, coughing a little.
The two men looked at each other. I could see they were startled. I wasn’t sure if it was because I spoke to them or because of the cough. Yet, this got their attention. It was like watching a Laurel and Hardy film.
First, they moved in opposite directions, then they suddenly stopped, turned, and moved back to each other. It seemed like they were disoriented, and I wondered if they had been here before. It was like they didn’t know where to go.
They whispered to each other and then headed down the hallway. I listened to their footsteps until I couldn’t hear them anymore. I heard a door opening and closing. I wondered if that was them entering the kitchen.
I didn’t have time to wait and find out. Jumping up, I started for the door I knew led outside. I was about halfway across the floor when the door started opening. No, this can’t happen. I turned and headed for the rows of crates. I didn’t have time to get back to my chair and sit down.
Hiding was my only option now. As I moved down the row of crates stacked on shelves, I saw another door.
Moving slowly, I went closer and opened it.
It was another room. This one is filled with large crates.
Some were stacked in rows, but further on were others just standing around in the middle of the floor.
I could see another door on the other side. I hoped this was an exit that wasn’t being used or monitored. My heart raced in my chest, and my throat now felt dry as a desert. I moved between the stacks of crates, then froze as I heard voices up ahead.
Hopefully, they haven’t noticed I was gone yet. Peeking around one of the crates, I saw five more men standing between me and the door. To one side of me were shelves, and to the other side were crates. Before me was an open area where the men stood.
I jumped and then quickly slid in under the shelves as I heard someone talking behind me. The man lowered himself as he spoke again. “You must come with me. If they find you now, they will kill you.”
It was one of the men I had asked for water, as he still held the cup. For some reason, I felt bad for him as he didn’t belong. But I wasn’t about to give up my freedom. Before I could speak or move, I heard a great crackling sound and then a low thud.
Glancing towards the door, I saw the light flood in along with Iosif and his men. Relief washed over me at the sight of them, but then I bit my tongue as I saw my brother’s men also entering.
Shots rang through the air, and men screamed left and right. More men entered from behind me as the firefight continued. The man who had brought me the water fled. He ran back through the door to where I was being held.
There were men down on both sides, and the air smelled sweet but smoky. I smiled as Iosif and his men progressed with precision. It was amazing to see him and my brother in this light. The shooting subsided as the kidnappers and their men started fleeing.
Iosif’s voice rang through the room as he called out to his men. “After them, don’t let them get away. They cannot escape!”
“Yes, sir,” the men replied in unison as they moved across the floor. My brother’s men also followed the pursuit. Moving out from under the shelf, I moved into the open. Iosif’s face lit up as he saw me.
I could see from his expression that he was excited to see me. He hurried towards me. As he was about to reach me, I saw my brother coming in from the other side. I was happy to see he was also here, and they were working together. That was until I noticed the gun in my brother’s hand.
He was coming up behind Iosif with force. He was pointing the gun straight at him. Fear shuddered my insides as Kolya came closer to Iosif. Then, the realization hit me like a speeding bullet.
My brother was about to kill the man I love. Instinct took over as I heard the cracking noise fill the air. I pulled Iosif toward me and moved in between the two men.
A warm, fiery sensation shot through me as the bullet hit my shoulder. I cried out in pain. There was a second cracking sound on top of the first. This bullet grazed my neck as I swung around from the impact of the first one.
It wasn’t a life-threatening wound. But it burned like hell, and I was bleeding profusely. The pain shooting through my arm and shoulder, as well as my chest, was clouding my mind. I felt dizzy as my world started swerving in and out.
I noticed Iosif tense up, but he wasn’t moving as I sank to the floor.
My brother knelt beside me. I could see the horror in his eyes.
“No, why, I’m sorry!” he screamed as he removed his jacket and pressed it to my shoulder.
I wanted to tell him I was okay, but my head pounded so hard, I couldn’t speak.
I needed to get up, I told myself. I had to sort this mess out.
Turning my head, I tried to focus on Iosif. I had to see him. But before I could form another thought, the world went dark.